A JOURNEY INTO POWERFUL PRAYER “REMEMBERING TO REJOICE” Matt.6:13b “…for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” As we come to the end of our teachings on the Model Prayer, I want to pause for a moment and reflect on the seven things we’ve discovered about prayer: • PRAYER IS ABOUT REMEMBERING — “Our Father which art in Heaven.” • PRAYER IS ABOUT REVERENCING — “Hallowed be Thy name.” • PRAYER IS ABOUT RULING — “Thy kingdom come.” • PRAYER IS ABOUT RESIGNING — “Thy will be done.” • PRAYER IS ABOUT REQUESTING — “Give us this day our daily bread.” • PRAYER IS ABOUT RELEASING — “And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” • PRAYER IS ABOUT RELYING — “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Tonight, we will learn the truth that PRAYER IS ABOUT REJOICING — “For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever, Amen.” Jesus concludes His teaching on The Model by giving His disciples a beautiful DOXOLOGY. “Doxology” by definition is, – “a hymn or form of words containing an ascription of praise to God.” This phrase (or its equivalent) occurs many times in the Old Testament. For example, in I Chronicles David released a similar doxology to God. 1 CHRONICLES 29:10-13 (NIV) - David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. In a world so filled with trials, troubles, and tribulations, it is a comfort to serve a God Who is worthy of all the praise and glory we can give Him. It is a comfort to find someone and something to rejoice about. Let's dig into these precious words for just a few minutes this evening and learn the truth that Prayer Is About Rejoicing. I. WE CAN REJOICE IN THE PREEMINENCE OF GOD “For thine is the kingdom” A. He Is Sovereign When we say that God is sovereign, here is what we mean. This word means “independent and holding complete power.” It comes to English from the Latin language where it meant “over or above.” That is what God is! He is “over and above” this world. As we look around this world this evening, it may look like Satan and the forces of evil are running the show. In fact, what we see is a visible, physical kingdom, dominated by fallen men and a creature called the devil, 2 Cor. 4:4. What we cannot see however is that there is also an invisible, spiritual kingdom dominated by an all-powerful God. A God Who is working out a perfect, eternal plan in this world. The Bible is clear, the God we serve is all-powerful and in absolute control of all things. Notice these passages: • Isa. 43:13, “Yea, before the day was, I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?” Isaiah 46:10-11, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.” • Eph. 1:11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:” B. He Is Supreme Our Lord rules this evening because it is His right to do so. You see, when man was created and place in Eden, he was given dominion over this world, Gen. 1:26-28. When man sinned, he gave that dominion away. Now, according to scripture Satan, not man, is the god of this world, 2 Cor. 4:4. When Jesus Christ came into this world, died on the cross and rose from the dead He redeemed everything the first Adam had given away. He paid the price, and He stripped that evil pretender Satan of his dreams of ruling the universe. Our God and not Satan is the Supreme being in the universe. Since that is true, He alone deserves our worship, our love, our devotion, and our allegiance. Therefore, when we pray this prayer, we acknowledge His supremacy and our own subjection to the Lord as our Sovereign Lord. We are acknowledging that He is our King, and we are His servants. This implies that we are His and His alone. Yet, we still use the word “My” to describe the things we claim to possess. “My money, my job, my life, my house, my family, my church, my this and my that, my, my, my.” May the Lord help us all to remember that all we have and all that we are is due to the kindness, love and grace of our glorious King, 1 Cor. 15:10. II. WE CAN REJOICE IN THE POWER OF GOD “And the power” A. His Power Is Enormous We have already established the fact that God is Sovereign and that He is in control. Now, we are told to rejoice in the fact that He has the power to control things as well. Church, please understand we do not serve some anemic, weak God. WE SERVE A GOD OF POWER AND ABILITY! He can do anything He pleases to do because He holds all power. He is Almighty God! Gen. 18:14, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Job 42:2, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.” Psalms 62:11, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” Jer. 32:17, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:” Eph. 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” It is far easier to list what God cannot do than it is to list what He can do! You see, God cannot lie; He cannot change; He cannot make mistakes; He cannot fail! When we come before Him in prayer, we can pray with confidence because He has the power to hear us and grant our requests! Hallelujah! B. His Power Is Eternal We are told that all these things, His kingdom, His power, and His glory are “for ever.” Another of the great attributes of our God is the fact that He is “immutable.” This word means “unchanging or unable to change.” That describes the Lord God, Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8; James 1:17. His power today is the same as it ever has been! What confidence that should give us when we come to Him in prayer! All God has ever been He still is and He will continue to be. After all, He is “I AM.” (⇒ Do you need__________________________? Well, He can do that! Since our Lord has all the power, He has the ability to grant our requests.) III. WE CAN REJOICE IN THE PERSONALITY OF GOD “And the glory.” A. He Alone Deserves Glory Everything God is doing as He exercises His preeminence, and His power is for His glory. Psalms 8:1, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.” He does what He does so that He might be honored by His creation. He does what He does so that men might be drawn before Him in worship. He does what He does so that His name might be exalted. He alone is glorious, and He alone deserves glory! As we pass through this life, we will often try to accumulate glory for ourselves. However, God alone deserves all the glory, 1 Cor. 10:31. If we could ever learn that simple truth, it would forever revolutionize our lives, our churches, and our praying. Perhaps one reason we do not see our prayers answered is because we do not seek His glory first, James 4:3. Perhaps one reason we do not see more people saved is because we do not desire that for His glory alone. Perhaps one reason revival tarries in our day is because we do not seek it for His glory alone. Our God is a jealous God, and He will not share His glory with another, Ex. 34:14; Isa. 42:8. When we come to prayer, let us therefore remember that not only does our Father have the authority and the ability to answer our prayers, but He also has the alacrity to answer them as well. He wants to move in our lives, our homes, our churches, and our world in power and for His glory, but He will only do so, when He and He alone receives all the glory! Therefore, we can rejoice in a God Who had the ability, the authority, and the desire to hear and answer the prayers of His children! Praise His name! And my, what a promise! His glory will never fade but will endure forever! And those who know Him will share in that glory some day, John 17:24. B. He Alone Determines Glory We are told that His kingdom, His power, and His glory are “for ever.” This is a great promise that we can rejoice in. He will ever possess the kingdom, the power, and the glory. But I just want to point out that He and He alone determines who will share His glory some day. Only those who know Him in a grace relationship will be permitted to enter into His glorious kingdom at the end of the way, John 14:6; Acts 4:12.
A JOURNEY INTO POWERFUL PRAYER “TURNING DOWN TEMPTATION” Matt.6:13 “…And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” The six petitions of the Model Prayer are structured like a ladder. The top three rungs are in Heaven, having to do with God's FATHERHOOD.... His NAME. The next rung down concerns God's KINGDOM, the third rung involves His WILL. The next three rungs descend to earth as we pray for daily BREAD, FORGIVENESS, and finally PROTECTION from evil. On the ladder of this Model Prayer, we descend down from the contemplation of who God is, our Father, to who we http://are...sinful children. In the first three petitions of this prayer our soul rises directly to God; in the three following we face the hindrances of these aspirations. IN THE LAST PETITION WE DISCOVER THE SOLUTION TO ALL THESE DIFFICULTIES. Proper prayer includes praying for spiritual protection. This final petition has two requests. The first is negative: "And lead us not into temptation". The second is positive:"... but deliver us from the evil one." THE PRIMARY THOUGHT IN THIS PETITION IS THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE FALLING. No one is above shelving his or her faith, family, and/or future. No one is above yielding to temptation of sin. No one! Not the Pastor in his pressed suit, not the Deacons with their bibles and hymn books in hand, not the choir members in their robes nor the Church Mothers sitting on the front row! No one is immune to falling into sin. Secondly, the emphasis of the petition expresses the need to know how to pray for spiritual protection for ourselves. That is what the sixth and final petition of this Model Prayer is all about: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil or the evil one." There are two things we should seek here. THE DIRECTION OF GOD AND THE DELIVERANCE FROM SIN. THE DIRECTION OF GOD It goes without saying we should constantly seek His direction! If we are to be the kind of Christians that bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is vital that we seek God's direction and His leading in our lives. Our attitude should be, "Lord lead me. Show me what you want me to do." Is this your attitude? Psalm 143:10 —“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness". Psalm 5:8—Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face”. Psalm 25:5 — “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day”. Psalm 27:11— “Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies”. “Lead us not into temptation”. To understand this petition we need to take a close look at the word "temptation" It comes from the Greek word {pi-ras-mos}, which carries the main meaning of "TESTING." It refers not so much to solicitation to do evil or enticement to sin, as to TRIALS THAT TEST THE CHARACTER OF A PERSON. We need to be clear that God does not tempt us to do evil. God did not cause Adam and Eve to sin. He is not the author of sin. If God tempted men to sin, then His nature would not be holy. JAMES 1:13-14 — “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: [14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” Why do we need to pray that He will not lead us into testing or temptation? Even though God is not the instrumental cause or author of our testing, He does permit or allow us to experience temptation from the World, from the Flesh, and from the Devil. The Bible is clear that temptations and testings are going to come into our lives. They are unavoidable. Times of intense temptation are going to happen. Therefore, this petition is a request that the Lord minimize (not eliminate) the occasions of our testing that may result in our sinning or giving in to our fleshly desires. It articulates the repentant disciple's felt weakness to stand up under severe trials in view of our sinfulness. The idea here is, "Lord, preserve me from temptation that will bring me under its sway and will cause me to fall." It is the expression of the redeemed soul that so despises and fears sin that it wants to escape all prospects of falling into it, choosing to avoid temptation rather than having to defeat temptation. We cannot help being exposed to temptation, and we are not to pray that we will be spared being tempted at all. Rather, we are to pray that we will be spared those temptations from Satan that we cannot withstand. This phrase, then, must be used in the sense of permitting. DO NOT ALLOW OR PERMIT US, TO BE TEMPTED TO SIN. • THANK GOD, HE PROMISES THAT WE WILL NOT BE GIVEN MORE THAN WE CAN HANDLE. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 — “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”. The petition, "Lead us not into temptation," does not imply that God might lead us into some evil and we should pray that He would not. RATHER IT IS A NEGATIVE WAY OF SAYING WE WANT TO BE LED ARIGHT. It is a request to be led in the right direction, to be righteous in our walk. I do not know of anyone who went into sin when they were honestly praying to be led in the right way! Why? Because this is a prayer that God will answer! He desires that we walk the path of purity. We need, however, to pray this prayer if we are going to succeed in walking the right path, for the right path is not an easy one upon which to walk. A petition similar to this is offered by David, Psalms 141:4. PSALM 141:4 — “Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.” • GOD ALLOWS TESTINGS IN OUR LIVES IN ORDER TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE OUR FAITHFULNESS TO HIM. Job is a classic example of this fact. Satan tempted Job, but God allowed it. It is never God's desire to lead us into evil itself. Therefore, if we resist the devil, we are promised that he will flee from us. • GOD ALSO ALLOWS TESTING AND TEMPTATION TO STRENGTHEN AND REFINE OUR CHARACTER, AND TO DEVELOP PURITY, MATURITY, JOY, AND PATIENCE IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. Conquered temptation knits the fibers of our souls into muscular cords. JAMES 1:3 — “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:2 — “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality”. THE DELIVERANCE OF GOD IS SOUGHT... "But deliver us from the evil one" Proper prayer for spiritual protection from “the evil one” understands that the devil is a real person, not an impersonal cosmic force. Satan is alive and well on planet earth. He is your enemy whether you are a Christian or not. We should pray that the Lord would deliver us from Satan's power, his snares, arts, and his temptations. In a cursed world where we are battered by evil all around us, in this prayer we confess our inadequacy to deal with evil. We confess the weakness of our flesh to resist temptations and the absolute impotency of human resources and strength to combat sin and rescue us from its clutches. Above all, we confess our need for the protection and deliverance of our loving heavenly Father. We need God's protection and strength that come from putting our faith in Christ for our salvation. If a person has not received Christ as their Savior, then Satan is their father, and they will be condemned to Hell for eternity with him. JOHN 8:44 — Jesus said of the Pharisees, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” If you are a Christian, Satan is out to ruin your Life, your Testimony, your Family, your Joy and most importantly your Fellowship with God by deceiving you into sinful living. 1 PETER 5:8 — “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” The development of the idea of Satan in the Bible is of the greatest interest. In Hebrew the word Satan simply means "AN ADVERSARY." It can often be used of men. A man's adversary is his Satan. In the King James Version, the Philistines are afraid that David may turn out to be their adversary or Satan (1 Sam 29:4). Solomon declares that God has given him such peace and prosperity that there is no Satan left to oppose him (1 Ki 5:4). David regards Abishai as his Satan (2 Sam 19:22). In all these cases, Satan means an adversary or opponent. From that, the word Satan goes on to mean one who pleads a case against someone.
A JOURNEY INTO POWERFUL PRAYER “FORGIVING THOSE WHO HURT YOU” Matt.6:12 ”…And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” All of us have been deeply hurt by another person. How do we deal with that hurt? Jesus tells us in the Model Prayer. If we miss this petition in the Model Prayer, everything else we learn about prayer in this "journey" is simply a waste of time. Jesus tells us that we should pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Our text uses the word “debts” to refer to our sin. This is one of five words used in the New Testament for sin. Allow me to share those words and a few places where each can be found with you this evening. 1. Romans 3:23; Luke 15:21 — This particular word is used several times in the New Testament and carries the meaning of “Missing the mark.” It is an archery term and is used to refer to an archer shooting an arrow that falls far short of the target. It refers to the fact that in our sins, we all miss the standard of God's perfect righteousness. 2. Eph. 2:1; Col. 3:13 — This word is often translated “offenses” or “trespass” in the New Testament. It carries the idea of “slipping or falling.” It refers to sins that result from carelessness instead of intentional disobedience. 3. James 2:9 — This word is usually translated as “transgression.” It refers to "an intentional crossing of the boundaries established by God in His Word.” This is a far more conscious sin than either of the other two. 4. 1 John 3:4; Matt. 7:23 — This word is usually translated either by “iniquity” or by “transgression.” It literally means “without the Law or lawlessness.” It refers to high handed sin that is committed without regard to what God has to say about the matter. It is direct and open rebellion to against God, His ways and His Word. 5. Matt. 6:12 — This words is translated “debt, debtor or ought.” It refers to something that is “owed to another party.” Here, Jesus says that our sin is like a debt owed to God and to our fellow man. After becoming Christians, WE STILL SIN and therefore need DAILY forgiveness so our fellowship with our heavenly Father may continue. However, we must be willing to forgive others if our sins are to be forgiven. To learn to forgive those who hurt us, we must answer three questions. WHY SHOULD I FORGIVE? There are at least four reasons I should forgive others... 1. FORGIVENESS ALLOWS GOD TO FORGIVE MY SIN - God requires us to forgive others because He has forgiven us (Col. 3:13). It is such a serious matter not to forgive those who hurt us that Jesus' comment on this subject is the only footnote to the Model Prayer. He says if we forgive those who hurt us or sin against us, (then) our heavenly Father will also forgive us GOD IS ONLY WILLING TO FORGIVE US IF WE FORGIVE OTHERS. We cannot get from God what we refuse to give to others. For example, Jesus says, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy (Matt. 5:7). If I don't show mercy and forgiveness to others, God will not be merciful and forgiving to me. 2. FORGIVENESS REVEALS MY FAITH IN GOD AND HIS WORD - If we really have faith in God and His Word, we will forgive because of that promise. An unforgiving spirit is clear evidence you don't trust God or His Word. Romans 12:19-21 (NKJV) Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 3. FORGIVENESS CLOSES THE DOOR TO OTHER SINS. When we refuse to forgive and thus hold a grudge, we open the door to all kinds of other sins, such as bitterness, resentment, jealousy, gossip, and hate. Ephesians 4:31-32 - Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Bitterness is the direct result of refusing to forgive. When we refuse to forgive, bitterness takes root in our hearts and produces its evil fruit. All those terrible things listed after bitterness are the result of bitterness. The only way to close the door on these sins is to forgive. 4. Forgiveness makes me more like God. God is the God of mercy and forgiveness. To reveal His glory to Moses, the Lord passes in front of him proclaiming Himself to be the... Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin (Ex. 34:6-7a). When we forgive, we are doing something that originates in heaven. God is never more proud of us than when we are willing to forget a hurt because that's when we are most like Him. God is clear about His requirement for our forgiving others HOW DOES GOD FORGIVE? 1. God forgives completely. God promises: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). What does the word all include in that verse? All our sins! One of the greatest promises in the Bible is what God says in the last sentence of Jeremiah 31:34. Jeremiah 31:34 (NKJV) 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." After we confess a sin to God, He will never say, "Remember that sin you committed, that bad thing you did?" God never brings it up again, and that's the way we should be. If we forgive as God does, we do not bring up that sin or hurt anymore. We don't tell other people about it, so they can know what victims we are and how someone else has hurt us. However, do you know who will bring it up? The Evil One! He will always try to get his foot in the door to keep your bitterness burning by reminding you of those who have hurt you. Then, he can lead you into all kinds of other sins. However, if we forgive as God has forgiven us, we will forgive completely and never bring it up again. 2. God forgives freely. It doesn't seem fair to be guilty of sin and then to be freely forgiven. It seems like we should have to do something to pay for the bad things we have done. However, what does Romans 3:24 tell us? Romans 3:24 (NKJV) - being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Our forgiveness is free but it is not cheap; it cost God His only Son. God sent His Son to die on the cross so not only could we be forgiven, but also so we could forgive those who hurt us and not be guilty of the sins of bitterness, resentment, gossip, etc. If I forgive as God does, I must forgive completely and freely. HOW CAN I FORGIVE THOSE WHO HURT ME? Not only does God command us to forgive and tell us the consequence for refusing to forgive; He also gives us wonderful examples of how to forgive. One example is the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. All through his life, Joseph was willing to forgive those who hurt him. He forgives Potiphar's wife for lying and accusing him of trying to rape her and forgives Potiphar for having him put in prison for several years. He forgives Pharaoh's chief butler for forgetting him and leaving him in prison for two years. He forgives his brothers for selling him into slavery. Joseph was willing to forgive and forget. Did he forget the events? Did he forget the pit or the prison? The lies and suffering? No! Joseph chose to forget the pain associated with those events. Joseph knew the past was done and nothing could change it. Joseph also knew God has a purpose for our pain, hurts, and sufferings. Joseph says something to his brothers near the end of his forgiveness-filled life that reveals how we can forgive those who hurt us. What is it? GENESIS 50:19-21 (NKJV) Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph could forgive because he knew God has a good reason for every hurt and a purpose for every pain He allows. We need to learn that sometimes God allows us to be hurt because He has a plan for our pain
A JOURNEY INTO POWERFUL PRAYER “WINNING OVER WORRY” Matt.6:11 “…Give us this day our daily bread…” As stated before in the Model Prayer, we find principles that should be in all our prayers. There are six petitions, the first three relate to God and His name, His kingdom, and His will. The second three requests have to do with meeting our needs. The principle being taught is God first and us second. Understanding this petition is the key for winning over worry. All of us worry. We worry about our kids, finances, job, school, health, weight, schedule, etc. However God doesn't want us to be all stressed out with worry. That's why Jesus gives us the secret for winning over worry. When Jesus says to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, He is teaching us God wants to meet all our needs. The Bible promises: “God shall supply all your need” (Phil. 4:19). God will meet all our NEEDS…not our wants, because there are times when we want things we don't need, and there are also times when we need things we don't want! Therefore God is committed to meeting all our needs not our greed. This petition teaches us at least 4 things: GOD WANTS US TO BE COMFORTABLE COMING TO HIM FOR OUR NEEDS “Give” The word "give" points to the fact that God is the source of our blessings and needs and He is the one that can meet them. Our Lord's ability to meet our needs is unlimited, uninhibited, unmatched and more importantly UNMERITED by us. WE DO NOT EARN HIS GRACE AND GIFTS. He gives to us because He can and because of His unconditional love for us. The word "give" in this petition reminds us also of the grace of God. Anything we have is given to us because of His grace and mercy. WE DO NOT DESERVE ANYTHING FROM GOD, but because of His grace, He blesses us and supplies our needs. Our accomplishments, deeds, abilities, or merits are not pleaded, but His mercy is. That is the only way to ask for things from God. We are to appeal to His mercy and grace not to our merits and goodness, what we think we deserve, or what God owes us. God does not owe us anything! We will not get much if we make our appeal on that basis because our merits do not impress God. Appealing in faith to His mercy, compassion, faithfulness, and grace, however, lead to His blessings and care in one way or another. They are more than we can comprehend and compute. Psalm 37:4—Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Lamentations 3:22-23—It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [23] They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. GOD WANTS US TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS “Us” / “Our” Please note that Jesus did not teach us to pray, "Give ME MY daily bread." No, He taught us to pray, "Give US OUR daily bread." The problem of the world is not that there is not enough to go around; in the vast majority of situations there is more than enough to spare. The problem is not the supply of life's essential needs. It is the distribution of what is available by those who selfishly hoard what God has already provided. This prayer teaches us never to be selfish in our prayers. God wants to build a mutual care and concern between others and us through this prayer. He commands us to pray "give us," not "give me." Every time we pray this prayer from our heart, we are affirming our solidarity with others. When we pray, "Give us today our daily bread," we are also making an implicit commitment to help provide bread for needy friends. The prayer is a stretching, broadening petition. We not only depend on God for His practical provision, we also commit ourselves to be part of God's answer for others in need. It is a prayer which we can help God to answer by giving to others who are less fortunate than we are and share our daily bread with those in need. Over and again, the Bible stresses the fact that we are to be concerned about the needs of others. 1 Corinthians 10:24—Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. We are to be concerned about the needs of others and not our own. Philippians 2:4—Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. GOD WANTS US TO BE CONFIDENT THAT HE’LL MEET OUR NEEDS “This Day…Daily” The schedule of God's provision for His children is "this day" or "daily." The meaning here is simply that of regular, day-by-day supply of our needs. In commanding us to pray, "Give us today our daily bread" God is fostering in us A DAILY DEPENDENCE UPON HIM. Notice what David said in Psalm 86. Psalm 86:3—Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. We are to rely on the Lord one day at a time, looking to Him for our needs. He may give us a vision for the work He calls us to do in the future, but His provision for our needs is daily, not weekly, monthly, or yearly. Why? Because the Lord wants to hear from us everyday, not once in a while or when we need Him. To accept the Lord's provision for the present day, without concern for our needs or welfare tomorrow, is a testimony of our contentment in His goodness and His faithfulness. That contentment, trust, and faith will wring out the worry that wanders around in our heart sometimes. IF WE WORRY, WE CAN'T TRUST; IF WE TRUST, WE CAN'T WORRY. Psalm 68:19—Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. No other line like this one in the Model Prayer so sharply challenges the direction of today's world. The world places emphasis on storing up for the future. The investors strive to compound his security and his independence. He prefers the security of a year's supply. He wants retirement pay that will last for the rest of his life. And to be sure, there is NOTHING WRONG with planning for future rainy days, but it is wrong to make total independence your consuming goal, especially when you want to be independent of God. The rich man in Luke made this tragic mistake. He felt he had no needs of anything or anyone. Thus, he felt he did not need God. Luke 12:15-21—And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Whether we are rich or poor, God wants us to depend upon Him "daily." He wants us all to pray for our daily needs, and He wants us to daily thank, trust, and depend upon Him. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray this petition, there is little doubt that His mind was going back to the story of the manna in the wilderness (Exo 16:1-21). The children of Israel were starving in the wilderness, and God sent them manna, the food from Heaven, but there was one condition. They must gather only enough for their immediate needs. If they tried to gather too much, and store it up, it went bad. They had to be satisfied with enough for the day. This petition tells us to live one day at a time. It forbids the anxious worry which is so characteristic of the life which has not learned to trust God. The emphasis here is looking by faith to the Lord every day. We do not want to depend upon God every day, but this prayer emphasizes living by faith which is a constant dependence upon God. This is what pleases the Lord. Hebrews 11:6—But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Romans 1:17—For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. GOD WANTS US TO BE CONTENT WITH THE NEEDS HE HAS PROVIDED “Bread” Daily bread refers to the necessities of life, food and physical needs, not its luxuries. This indicates our needs as opposed to our wants. Bread is common, not a luxury. It is ordinary, not special. Too many of our prayers are for what we do not need. They are prayed from the lusts of the flesh. Some folk complain that God does not answer their prayers. The problem is not God but is often the fact that people are praying for wants and not needs. This is a prayer for our needs, not our greed. The request is for God to supply our needs day by day. The expression "this day [or today] our daily bread" reflects first century life in which workers received their pay daily. Asking God to provide our needs, however does not free us from the responsibility of working. 2 Thessalonians 3:10—For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. God satisfies our needs partially by giving us the ability and the opportunity to earn a living. Ultimately everything comes from Him. It really does. Having to live from hand to mouth one day at a time can be a blessing if it reminds us of our total dependence on God. This is especially true since we live in a world that glorifies self-sufficiency and financial independence. Praying for "daily bread" reminds us that we are to pray for the material as well as the spiritual. Nothing is too big or too small to be left out of our prayer life. "Give us today our daily bread" is an invitation to come to God with requests that others might call small or trivial. One of the precious realities of our Christian life is that God cares for the simple, ordinary, day-to-day things of life. Jesus taught us that even supposedly trivial matters are important to God. God wants us to bring our everyday needs to Him, even if they seem unimportant. He does not demand that we approach Him only when we have raised ourselves to some kind of spiritual elevation above the everyday things of life. The greatness of our God lies in His descent to meet us where we are. When we come to Him with our "little things," we do Him great honor. It is marvelous to understand that the God who created the entire universe, who is the God of all space, time, and eternity, who is infinitely holy and completely self-sufficient, should care about supplying our physical needs and should be concerned that we receive enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and a place to rest. God obligates Himself to supply our needs. Philippians 4:19—But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Matthew 6:33—But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you
Matthew 6:9 “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” Accomplishing the will of God on Earth For several Wednesdays now we have been studying the modeled prayer or disciples’ prayer. A prayer that contains six petitions, so far, we have covered two, and now we have come to the third petition. The first and most important petition is hallowed be thy name. The second is Thy kingdom come, and the third is Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10b). In this third petition we are acknowledging two very important truths (1) that God knows what is best and that we are to surrender our will to his. (2) It expresses a longing to see God will carried out in the world in which we live. However, the will of God for us living in the 21st century can be rather confusing because for most of us don’t know clearly what the will of God is for our lives. What is the meaning of the word will? The word for “will” in the Greek language is thelma. The word means “what one chooses, wishes or has determined will happen.” What is the will of God? The will of God is his desired decision to accomplish whatever He (God) decided beforehand to be done, what He (God) has already completed in his own mind. The will of God can be understood in two ways: 1. God’s sovereign choice - what God decreed to happen! 2. God’s sovereign command - what God has given to be obeyed! How does God’s will come to earth? Jesus tells us to pray, your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. God doesn't accomplish His will on earth through angels; He does it exclusively through you and me. This petition is a prayer of commitment to fulfill God's purpose, or will, for our lives on earth. When sincerely prayed, this is a prayer for God to take control and fulfill His purpose for our lives. God has a purpose for all of us even before we are born. We can see this in Psalm 139:16, where the psalmist says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body, all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” God says this in Jeremiah 1:5 “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus wrote, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Eph. 2:10a). God has an individual will or purpose for each of us, and Jesus tells us to pray God's will be done in us as it is in heaven. How is God's will fulfilled in heaven? In this passage Jesus does not say explicitly what the will of God is in heaven, but expressively implies that it is obeyed by those there. Listen to what the psalmist states in Psalm 103:20 “praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly host, you his servants who do his will.” Notice carefully that God’s will is obeyed in heaven. The angels do His will wholeheartedly, joyously, and completely. We ought to respond the same way to do God's will in earth as it is in heaven—wholeheartedly, joyously, and completely. The primary purpose of this petition is allowing God's will to come to earth through us. God’s will is accomplished on earth when we desire for God to have His wish, His will and His plans fulfilled or carried out in our lives and in our plans, which ought to be aligned with His. How do I know what the will of God is for my life? The will of God is not meant to be a secret we must uncover. God wants us to understand His will far more than we want to understand it. He always makes his will clear to those who seek it with an obedient heart. Jeremiah 29: 13 -14. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” If we want to know what His will is for our lives, we must start with what we know His will to be. What is God’s will? Well, His will is His word, more specifically His reveal word that is the ten commandments, which Jesus has summarized for us in very simple terms, it is to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” The ultimate expression of God’s will in his word is to love Him and our fellow man. Jesus says, “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” Jesus here implies two things about God’s will (1) it’s perfect, and (2) it’s to be performed or carried out. What is also clear from Jesus’ words is that God’s will or God’s word is forever settled in heaven, Jesus says “…as it is in heaven.” The psalmist declared this in Psalm 119: 89 “forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” The problems over what the will of God is, is settled for us not just in heaven, but throughout the scriptures. This is where we “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” The Scriptures we have, and hold contains the Will of God, for indeed God’s will is His word. However, God’s word also explains clearly what the will of the Lord is. Therefore, our study this evening is clear what does the scriptures teach as it relates to the will of God and are there specific places in scripture that declares without a shadow of a doubt that it is His will? There are several places in the Holy Scriptures that teach us what the will of the Lord is. 1. God’s will for us is to accept his salvation (1Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9) 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2. God’s will for us is to be Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:17-18) 17 Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 3. God’s will for us is to be Sanctified (1 Thessalonians 4: 3-7) 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 4. God’s will for us is to be Submissive (1 Peter 2: 13- 15) 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 5. God’s will for us is to understand at times we will experience Suffering (Philippians 1: 28, 29; 1 Peter 4:19) 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 19so then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good. 6. God’s will for us is to Say thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18) 18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 7. God’s will for us is to Serve the less fortune (Galatians 2: 9, 10; Romans 15: 25-27; II Corinthians 8:1- 5) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. 25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. 8 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. If all these things are true in our lives, then what we do, will be what God’s will is. We must delight ourselves in what He desires to be done. Then we will experience to a greater extent what God promises in Psalms 37:4 Psalm 37:4 says, “delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” That means, that if you are conforming to God’s will in all seven ways, He will place in our hearts, His desires that reflect His will. So, whatever he chooses to do through us will in fact be his will. God word through the prophet Micah in Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you, o man, what is good. and what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” thus, this third petition will be carried out on earth as it is in heaven.
A JOURNEY INTO POWERFUL PRAYER “MAKING GOD’S NAME HALLOWED” Matt.6:10a “…Thy kingdom come…” In our last lesson we learned Hallowed be thy name is the first and most important petition to make when we pray. If in everything we say and do we are making God's name "hallowed," then we will be helping make the next petition in the Lord's Prayer a reality. This second petition is Thy kingdom come. If we are to have a "journey into powerful prayer," our first priority must be to make God's name hallowed. Our second priority should be to pray for God's kingdom to come. It’s important to know that the kingdom of God was such a priority to Jesus Christ that He taught and talked about it more than He did any other subject while He was on earth. • JESUS WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD HE MADE PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE KINGDOM. IN MATT.4: 17 It says, “from that time Jesus began preaching, Repent for the kingdom of heaven was at hand” HE GAVE PRINCIPLES ABOUT KINGDOM OF GOD. IN MATT.5: 3 Jesus told His disciples if they were “…poor in spirit theirs would be the kingdom of heaven.” HE TOLD PARABLES ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN MATT.13: 24 -52 Jesus told 7 parables back-to-back telling His disciples what the kingdom of God was like In fact Jesus was so passionate about the kingdom that theologians have argued that because “The kingdom of God” was His primary message, everything that Jesus did and said was centered on the kingdom. Therefore it makes sense that when Jesus was instructing His disciples how to pray, one of the first things He told them to pray for was The Kingdom! If the Kingdom of Heaven was a priority to Jesus Christ shouldn’t it be a priority to us? WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD THE REIGN OF GOD THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE REALM WHERE GOD REIGNS SUPREME, AND JESUS CHRIST IS KING. In this kingdom, God’s authority is recognized, and his will is obeyed. The concept of a Kingdom of God is not primarily one of space, territory, or politics, as in a national kingdom, but rather one of kingly rule, reign, and sovereign control. Old Testament scholar Graeme Goldsworthy summarized the Kingdom of God as, “God’s people, in God’s place under God’s power” The idea of God as king was fundamental to Judaism, and Jewish ideas on the subject undoubtedly underlie, and to some extent determined, the heavy New Testament usage Behind the Greek word for kingdom (basileia) lies the Aramaic term “malkut”, which Jesus may have used. Malkut refers primarily not to a geographical area nor to the people inhabiting the area but, rather, to the activity of the king himself, his exercise of sovereign power. The idea might better be conveyed in English by an expression such as kingship, rule, or sovereignty. WHERE AND WHEN IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD? Sometimes the Bible refers to the Kingdom of God as a present reality while other times in the Bible it is described as a future realm or territory. The apostle Paul said the Kingdom was part of our present spiritual life: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17, ESV) Paul also taught that the followers of Jesus Christ enter into the Kingdom of God at the point of salvation: “He [Jesus Christ] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” (Colossians 1:13, ESV) However, Jesus on the other hand often spoke of the Kingdom as a future inheritance: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.’ ” (Matthew 25:34, NLT) “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 8:11, NIV) So, the simplest way to understand the Kingdom of God is this, it is the realm where Jesus Christ reigns as King and God’s authority is supreme. However this Kingdom exists here and now (in part) in the lives and hearts of the redeemed, as well as in perfection and fullness in the future. God's kingdom present. When Jesus came to earth, He brought God's kingdom present with Him. To begin His public ministry, Jesus says, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mt 4:17b). The kingdom is at hand because Jesus is on the verge of leading men and women into an obedient relationship with God the Father. Being a Christian is being a member of God's kingdom present, which is called the "church." God's purpose for the church, the body of Christ, is the same as it was for the nation of Israel. The apostle Peter reminds us we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9a). According to 1 Peter 2:9b, what is our purpose on earth? God's kingdom promised. The day is rapidly approaching when the trumpet will sound and Christ will return to set up His eternal kingdom. The Bible describes this as a time when nations shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks... neither shall they learn war any more (Isa. 2:4). There will also be a phenomenal change in the animal kingdom. Isaiah tells us: The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them How can we help bring God's kingdom to earth? There are at least three ways: 1. By living for God. When we sincerely pray, Thy kingdom come, we are submitting to God's rule in our hearts. We are asking God to control our hearts and lives. As we submit to His control, a little more of God's kingdom comes to earth. This means our first concern is God's kingdom, not our own little kingdom with its cars, cash, and careers. 2. By winning others. Being involved in helping someone come to Christ brings a little more of God's kingdom to earth because He now reigns in one more life. If we are to do our part in helping God's kingdom come, we must do everything possible to bring our lost family members, friends, and associates to Christ. 3. By praying for God's kingdom future. When Christ returns, God's ultimate kingdom will be established. Describing this future kingdom, Jesus says: And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven (Mt 8:11). This is the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), when all saints of all time sit down with the Lord for a great homecoming banquet. Praying for God's future kingdom should always be in our prayers.
A JOURNEY INTO POWERFUL PRAYER “MAKING GOD’S NAME HALLOWED” Matt.6:9c “…Hallowed be Thy name…” Last week as we looked at God's address—in heaven—we discovered in that particular lesson, that our heavenly Father is not the picture of a mellow old man whose sitting in a rocking chair on his porch. Rather He is the awesome Creator God, who sits on His dazzling, breathtaking throne in heaven. In Rev.4:2 John said, “And immediately I was in the spirit and, behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone…” Remembering God's address when we pray causes us to say naturally, “Hallowed be thy name” (Mt 6:9c). This is the first of six petitions in the Lord's Prayer. The first three relate to God's GLORY AND WILL; the second three to our GAINS AND WELL-BEING. The principle being taught is this…God FIRST and people SECOND. If we are to have a "journey into powerful prayer" we can never confuse the order! To understand what Jesus means by the petition Hallowed be thy name, we must answer three questions which will serve as the outline for our lesson tonight: what does the word hallowed mean, what is God's name, and how can we make God's name hallowed. WHAT DOES THE WORD HALLOWED MEAN The word “Hallowed” is an out-of-date Old English word, yet most modern versions of the Bible still use it because it sounds so reverent. The word translated hallowed means "to make holy" or "to make separate." The word is used to separate His name from what is common and ordinary. The aim of Jesus when He instructed His disciples to use was for them to count and treat the name of God differently, to set His name apart from all other names. 1 PETER 1:13-15 (NKJV) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, We can violate this commandment and fail to "hallow" God's name in several ways, by 1) Not RECOGNIZING His holiness, 2) Not REVERENCING His holiness and 3) RESPONDING to His holiness. 1) RECOGNIZE THE HOLINESS OF GOD - Jeremiah 10:6-7 (NKJV) Jeremiah recognized the holiness of God when he said of God, “Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might), Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.” 2) REVERENCE THE HOLINESS OF GOD - Isaiah 6:1-3 (NKJV) Isaiah noticed that the Seraphim reverenced the holiness of God. He wrote, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" 3) RESPOND TO THE HOLINESS OF GOD - Isaiah 6:8-11 (NKJV) Isaiah responded to the holiness of God. He wrote, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed." Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered: "Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate.” WHAT IS GOD’S NAME Is God’s name really GOD? Why do we call him GOD primarily in this Western culture, but others call him JEHOVAH, ELOHIM, or YAHWEH. Or sometimes, we call him, Lord (or LORD). Why all the names and what does the Bible say? The name “GOD”, simply, is just the English word for the monotheistic god of the Bible. The word God comes from the Gothic translation of the New Testament to represent Greek Theos and Latin Deus. But God, Theos, Deus, Lord, or even Yahweh is not his name. CR. EXODUS 3:13-14 - Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” “I AM”, is derived from the verb “to be.” GOD JUST “IS.” He self-existed, exists and will always exist eternally. He has no beginning and no end. He wasn’t created, He wasn’t formed, and He is unlike anything we can see, explain or imagine. To put it another way, God was saying to Moses, “I am everything, I own it all, I created everything, I give life, I sustain life, I sustain everything, I AM!” How do you name that or Him!? The Hebrew word for “I am” is pronounced Eh-Yeh. However, the Hebrew people would not say this name or write it in full because they felt as mere mortals, human beings should not say His name (although that is not instructed in the Bible). Thus, instead of writing or saying Eh-Yeh, they wrote the four letters YHWH (known as the tetragrammaton) to represent His name. YHWH is not pronounceable because the vowels have been removed, so the word “YAHWEH”, is how they eventually began pronouncing YHWH. However, Yahweh too, was considered too holy to say, so Adonai is what the Jewish people called Him. Adonai is the Hebrew word for Lord, which translated means, “someone who was over another person,” like a master. English translators of the Old Testament from Hebrew translated YHWH as LORD (all capitals) out of tradition and reverence for God’s name instead of writing YHWH or Yahweh. Thus, when we see the word “LORD” in all capitals in our English versions of the Old Testament, that is the name Yahweh (or YHWH) we are reading from the Hebrew. When we read the word, “Lord” (lowercase) in our Old Testament, with just the “L” capitalized, that is the name Adonai in the Hebrew Bible. The name Jehovah is a combination of the consonants of YHWH and the vowels of Adonai. It became a way to distinguish between when YHWH (LORD) was written and when Adonai (Lord) was written. WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE IS THAT GOD IS ABOVE ANY ONE NAME, MEASUREMENT OR WORD. He is Holy, He is Just, He is our Creator, our Savior, our Lord, He is our everything! So what should be our “official” way to name, title, call…God? HOW DO WE MAKE HIS NAME HALLOWED When we pray hallowed be thy name, we are making a commitment to live in a way that brings honor to God's name. If God's name is hallowed in our lives, we must do at least five things: 1. TALKING ABOUT GOD RESPECTFULLY. This means we treat God's name with the utmost honor and reverence. We must never use God's name carelessly, which is called "profanity." The dictionary defines "profanity" as "showing disrespect or contempt for sacred things." When we use any name for God, we should do it to honor and exalt Him. 2. REJOICING IN GOD'S BLESSINGS CONTINUALLY. We can also make God's name hallowed by praising Him and giving Him due credit for all our many blessings, abilities, and achievements. 3. GIVING TO GOD GENEROUSLY. Nothing reveals how much we really revere God's name like how we use our money. Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). 4. OBEYING GOD TOTALLY. Nothing brings dishonor to God's name like violating His Word. When Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader of Israel, God said to him: “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest” (Josh. 1:7). If we are to be successful in making God's name hallowed, we must obey all of His Word. 5. TRUSTING GOD COMPLETELY. Each time we doubt God, we tarnish His name. Trusting God completely is what the Bible calls "faith." Without faith, it is impossible for us to please God because a lack of faith means we doubt God's character and His Word. Our faith reveals what we really believe about God and His name.
“ACKNOWLEDGING GOD’S ADDRESS” Matt.6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven…” As I mentioned last week, the Disciple’s Prayer is a model or pattern containing the elements that should be in all our prayers. In this model, Jesus teaches us to begin our prayers with Our Father. However, Jesus doesn’t stop there, but He expands our concept of God by saying we are to begin our prayers, Our Father which art in (where?) heaven! Jesus teaches us to pray Our Father to remind us of our personal, intimate, family relationship with God, but when we add the phrase which art in heaven (the place where God resides), our prayers take on a completely new dimension. Simply calling Him "Father" could cause us to lose the reverence we must have when we pray. However, to pray "Our Father who is in heaven," which is God's address, reminds us of at least 3 things... GOD IS STATIONED ABOVE US The Bible uses the word heaven more than 400 times. The word translated heaven means "lofty" or "that which is high up. The Bible refers to 3 “heavens.” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:2 (NKJV) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. The first heaven is the atmosphere around earth. For example, the tower of Babel reached upward to heaven—the atmospheric heaven (Genesis 11:4). The second heaven is the planetary heaven, which is the stars, moons, and planets (Genesis 15:5). The third heaven is beyond the first and second and is where God dwells. 1 Peter 3:22 Therefore, the message Jesus is conveying to His disciples is that when we acknowledge Our Father in Heaven, we are submitting to His place of superiority over us. There is a clear hierarchy between where we are and where God is. God Is Stationed Above Us. • ISAIAH 66:1 - Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool…” What Is God Doing While Stationed Above us? 1. HE IS RELEASING TO US – Malachi 3:10 (NKJV) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 2. HE IS REBUKING FOR US - MALACHI 3:11A (NKJV) 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes…” 3. HE IS REGULATING THOUGH US - MALACHI 3:11B So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; GOD IS SET-APART FROM US Calling God "Father" reminds us God is knowable and approachable, but the phrase "in heaven" reminds us of who He is and who we are. It reminds us that God is holy and sinless, but we're not. Although we can have an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father, we should never approach Him casually, with arrogance or presumption. The phrase "Our Father" reminds us of our family relationship, but the phrase "in heaven" reminds us God is holy or set apart from all sin Isaiah 55:9 (NKJV) 9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. God never acts in a selfish or unloving way, but we do. God never gets in a hurry, but we do. God is more concerned with our character than our comfort, but we are not. Remembering God's address reminds us of whom we are addressing. He is not some "cosmic concierge" who can be talked into giving us anything anytime we want it, He is a God who is set-apart from us. • We Live in A House…God Sits on A Throne God sits on His throne, which is…in heaven (Psalm 103:19). Almost the entire fourth chapter of Revelation describes God's majesty in His throne room in heaven. God's throne symbolizes His absolute authority and power. As we pray, Jesus wants us to remember that our Father is in heaven, not sitting in a rocking chair, but on an awesome, dazzling throne. We are to keep in mind our heavenly Father is the majestic Creator and Ruler of the universe, who is in heaven surrounded by indescribable majesty and glory. As Arthur Pink writes, the phrase in heaven gives a "blessed balance" to the phrase Our Father. The phrase Our Father reveals His love and care; the phrase in heaven reveals His holiness, greatness, and majesty. The phrase Our Father fills us with confidence and love, while the phrase in heaven fills us with humility and awe. If we are to have a "journey into powerful prayer," these two truths must permeate our minds. GOD IS SEEING ALL AROUND US God sees all from heaven Psalm 33:13-19 (NKJV) The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. HE SEES ALL THE SONS OF MEN. HE LOOKS UPON ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH. HE CONSIDERS ALL THEIR WORKS. However, there is one thing that God sees: the person who fears Him and hopes in His mercy. He sees this person to deliver his soul from death. This is one of the prime reasons the believer keeps his eyes upon heaven.
A JOURNEY INTO POWERFUL PRAYER “GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH GOD AS FATHER” Matt.6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father…” Prayer is the most important thing we do because prayer can do anything God can do! And, what can God do? Anything! Prayer is not a meaningless, habitual task required of us. It is a time when we connect wiTH THE PERSON AND POWER OF GOD. IT IS MY CONJECTURE THAT A "journey into powerful prayer" requires we understand the purpose of AND PARTS IN the Model Prayer. Our Lord gave us this prayer as a model or pattern to teach us the basic principles or ingredients that should be incorporated into every powerful prayer. Notice Jesus does not say, "Pray this prayer," or "Memorize and recite this prayer." He says, "Pray after this manner." Meaning, we are not just to recite a prayer; we are to pray a prayer. The words we use in our prayers may vary considerably from the Model Prayer, but the principles taught in the prayer MUST be present if we are to pray with power. To begin with, the first principle of a "journey into powerful prayer" is to get comfortable with God and come to Him as a dear Father, or as "Abba Father." Many people have problems calling God "Father" because for them "father" is NOT a word of affection or intimacy but rather word that stirs up memories of neglect, desertion, or abuse. However, there is an important lesson that Jesus is trying to pour into His newly called disciples about their relationship with God. When Jesus taught them to pray, Our Father, He was revealing the truism that we can be comfortable in God's presence THERE ARE AT LEAST 3 THINGS WE MUST UNDERSTAND IF WE ARE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH GOD AND ADDRESS HIM AS OUR FATHER. WE CAN TALK TO GOD RELATIONALLY God is "our Father," which means He is a person with whom we can have a relationship. We can't have a relationship with an inanimate object. We can’t have a relationship with book, even the Bible, or with laws and rituals. We can't have a relationship with a creative force, or an impersonal power; however, we can have a relationship with a person. But what kind of relationship? Jesus tells us when He uses the word "Father." If God is "our Father," then who are we? We are His children! Therefore we are to approach God and speak to Him as "our father." • PRAYER IS A PRIVILEGE THAT HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO THOSE IN THE FAMILY. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer” NOT EVERYONE IS IN THE FAMILY! Some may assert, "We are all the children of God because all of us were created by Him. However the “created” of God is not necessarily the “Child” of God! [Note how Jesus described the Pharisees Cr. John 8:44a] Therefore not everyone can call God "Father"—only those who have become His children by receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord. JOHN 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am THE way, THE truth and THE life, NO MAN cometh unto the Father BUT BY ME” Therefore, I say again, prayer is a family privilege, through which we talk to our Father. Somebody listening might say, "Pastor J, I don't have good thoughts of my father. He never listened to me or talked to me; he was distant and sometimes mean." Or, you might say, "I was abandoned and abused by my father. So, how can I talk to God as a loving Father, when the word "father" connotes such bad memories for me?" Well, my response is even though you may not have had a caring, compassionate, loving earthly father, you wanted one. We all do! And the good news is, as Christians, we have a perfect One in heaven, and He wants us to talk to Him and have a relationship with Him as our caring and loving Father. To Have An Effective Prayer Life You Must Establish A Close Relationship With The Father WE CAN TALK TO GOD INTAMATELY Calling God "Father" seems natural to those of us who grew up quoting this Model Prayer, but this must’ve been a bombshell to those persons in Jesus' day. In fact, in the Old Testament, the fatherhood of God was seen ONLY in the terms of a Creative-Father who fathered the NATION OF ISRAEL. In the Old Testament, God is called "Father" fourteen times but it was always in conjunction with Him being the Father of the Nation of Israel. NOT ONE TIME is God referenced as a Father in relationship to an individual or on a personal basis! Also, the veil in the temple was a constant reminder to the Jews that only the High Priest could approach God on a personal basis, and he could only do that once a year on The Day of Atonement (LEV.16). When people prayed in the Old Testament, even the greatest of saints would call God "Lord God", which is a phrase is used to address God more than 280 times. He is also called God Almighty or the Almighty more than 50 times. He is addressed by several other names, but never as Father on a personal or individual basis. THERE WAS NOTHING INTIMATE ABOUT HOW THEY ADDRESSED GOD! However, when Jesus came on the scene, He spoke to the Father intimately. MARK 14:35, 36 – “And He went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, Abba, Father all thing are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” As Jesus prays and asks God to take away His cup of suffering, please note how He address God, “Abba Father”. Jesus spoke Aramaic, and the Aramaic word for "father," Abba, is best translated "Daddy" or "Poppa." This must have come as quite a surprise to the disciples since Jesus was using a term of affection. I say that because the Jews could not even pronounce the name of God aloud—much less call him "Father" or even more shocking, "Daddy." The Jews disconnected so much from and intimate relationship with God till they called themselves “the children of Abraham”, not of God. However, Jesus made it possible for us to become the sons and daughters of God and have an intimate relationship with Him. ROMANS 8:15 – “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, FATHER” HEBREWS 4:14-16 - Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The word Abba comes from the lips of a child, conveying affection. The word Father expresses an intelligent comprehension of the relationship and emphasizes God's position and authority. The two names together give us a holy balance in our view of God. Being able to call God "Father," "Dearest Father," or "Abba, Father," is fundamental in getting comfortable with God and having a "journey into powerful prayer." Talking to God as our Father means we can talk intimately to Him, pouring out our hearts as a child to a loving father. To get comfortable with God, we must understand we can have a family relationship with Him, we can talk intimately to Him, and lastly… WE CAN TALK TO GOD ACCESSIBLY God As Father Means We Have Complete Access To Him The Priesthood Of All Believers Priesthood of all believers, cardinal doctrinal principle of the churches of the 16th-century Reformation, both Lutheran and Reformed, and the Protestant Free churches that arose from the Reformation churches. The doctrine asserts that all humans have access to God through Christ, the true high priest, and thus do not need a priestly mediator. This introduced a democratic element in the functioning of the church that meant all Christians were equal. Ephesians 2:12-14 (TLB) - Remember that in those days you were living utterly apart from Christ; you were enemies of God’s children, and he had promised you no help. You were lost, without God, without hope. But now you belong to Christ Jesus, and though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought very near to him because of what Jesus Christ has done for you with his blood. For Christ himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family, breaking down the wall of contempt that used to separate us. Ephesians 3:12 (TLB) - Now we can come fearlessly right into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome when we come with Christ and trust in him. Hebrews 4:14-16 (TLB) - But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned. So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need. Hebrews 10:19-22 (TLB) - And so, dear brothers, now we may walk right into the very Holy of Holies, where God is, because of the blood of Jesus. This is the fresh, new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us by tearing the curtain—his human body—to let us into the holy presence of God. And since this great High Priest of ours rules over God’s household, let us go right in to God himself, with true hearts fully trusting him to receive us because we have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean and because our bodies have been washed with pure water.
